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Alicia Champion’s rewrite of 90’s hit is the gun control anthem of a generation

Written by
Jody Taylor

On May 31st, two days ahead of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, recording artist and producer, Alicia Champion released her new music video on YouTube entitled, “The Freshmen ’18.”

The song is a lyrical rewrite of the 1996 hit, “The Freshmen,” by popular 90’s band, The Verve Pipe and was originally about teenage pregnancy and abortion. Champion, who is also an avid advocate for gun reform, refocused the lyrics around two decades of heightened gun violence. In her rewrite, Champion’s perspective is that of a teen who watched the Columbine massacre unfold, and is now a parent grappling to make sense of the normalcy of mass shootings.

“I was seventeen when Columbine happened. I’m now thirty-six and a parent who’s watched a one-time freak tragedy become a social epidemic. To The youth- I’m sorry my generation failed you. I stand with you until this fight is won. This is for you,” Stated Champion.

The self-produced video chronicles the heartbreaking history of mass shootings post-Columbine alongside an emotional performance by Champion. The video ends with a call for donations for The Brady Center to End Gun Violence.

On July 12th, Champion will also perform the song live at a benefit concert in San Diego for The Brady Center that she and spouse, Danielle LoPresti, will host. The event, “OUT to End Gun Violence,” will be headlined by 2018 Song of the Year Grammy nominee, Justin Tranter. Joining them will also be East of Eli, the musical brainchild of Nathan West and wife, actress/singer, Chyler Leigh (“Supergirl,” “Grey’s Anatomy”), Pulse Nightclub DJ and survivor, DJ Infinite, plus more celebrity guests that will be announced in June. General Admission and VIP tickets for this show are now available at www.musicboxsd.com